Taking the Long Way
by Kristen3
Summary: Martin takes his grandson, David, to his first Mariners game, hoping he'll come to appreciate the game. Meanwhile, Frasier calls from Chicago with some exciting news. Spoilers for "Goodnight, Seattle."
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**I don't own these characters. I'm just borrowing, so please don't sue! Thanks once again to Leigh Ann for her encouragement and feedback! I know this chapter's short, but it's more of a teaser. I promise later chapters will be longer! Please R&R, but be nice! :)

Niles and Daphne stood outside the door of Martin and Ronee's house with their five-year-old son, David. The little boy was bouncing excitedly. He was usually active, but today there was an extra reason for it: he was about to see his very first professional baseball game, thanks to his grandfather. Martin opened the door. "Hi, guys."

"Thanks for doing this, Martin," Daphne said. "It seems like Niles and I haven't had any time to ourselves lately." She looked over at her husband knowingly. While their son enjoyed a day out with Martin, they were going to have some fun of their own.

"It's my pleasure," Martin replied. "It's been so long since I've been able to take a boy to a baseball game. For a while there, it didn't look like I'd ever get the chance again."

"Now, Dad, you can't blame Frasier and me for having a life-long fear of being hit by a ball," Niles said, rolling his eyes. This was a conversation he and Martin had had numerous times over the years.

"OK, OK, I get the point," Martin said. "You two better get going so we can get ready for the game. Where are you off to, anyway?"

Niles smiled. "Daphne and I are going out on a date. Our country club is having a dance tonight." He did not have to explain the significance of this outing to Martin. His father knew that Niles and Daphne's first society ball had been a turning point in their relationship.

"Ew, are you guys going to kiss and stuff?" David asked, looking up at his parents. Niles and Daphne's only response was to look at each other adoringly.

"I think they may end up doing more than that," Martin said to David. "But don't worry about them. We'll be having way more fun at the game, won't we?"

After kissing and hugging their son good-bye, Niles and Daphne left. As soon as they were gone, David turned to his grandfather and asked, "Why do Mom and Dad always look at each other like that?" The expression on his face said that he did not like the open affection his parents often showed.

Martin thought for a moment before answering. "It's a long story. One that I'll tell you when you're older." _Much older_, he thought to himself. He couldn't imagine explaining Niles and Daphne's complex relationship to a five-year-old, not even one as precocious as David. Even after so many years, Martin still found it hard to believe that David's existence was an indirect result of the bullet that had ended his career as a police officer. When he had first moved in with Frasier, he could not have imagined the path his life would take.

"Grandpa, are you all right? You've got a funny look on your face." David's words brought Martin back to the present.

"Yeah...I'm fine. Why don't you go tell Ronee you're here?" Martin suggested. Even though Ronee liked David, and knew how much he meant to Martin, she still hadn't quite embraced being a grandmother. Further complicating things was the fact that she used to baby-sit Frasier and Niles when she was a teenager.


	2. Chapter 2

Not long after, Ronee dropped Martin and David off at the stadium for the game. Ronee could tell the two were equally excited, although David's excitement seemed to have more to do with spending time with Martin than the actual game. David had heard his father's opinion on sports too many times to find them interesting. But Martin would not give up so easily. He was convinced that seeing an actual game would turn his beloved grandson into a sports fan.

As they walked toward their seats, Martin tried to get David to show some enthusiasm for the national pastime. "Maybe we'll be able to catch a fly ball," he said.

"Do you know what the odds are of that actually happening?" David replied. Sometimes he sounded so much like Niles, it almost scared Martin.

Just then, a voice from a few feet over called, "Hey, Martin!" He turned, and to his surprise, saw Roz Doyle standing there.

Roz made her way over to where Martin was and greeted him with a hug. "I didn't know you guys were coming today."

Martin shrugged. "Niles and Daphne are going out on a date," he explained.

David made a slight gagging sound. "I think they're going to kiss!"

Roz smiled. "With your parents, that goes without saying." But she understood how David felt. In the beginning, it was difficult to take Niles and Daphne's public displays of affection. Especially since Roz's own love life was usually nowhere near as exciting.

"Is Alice with you?" David asked hopefully. Since Roz and Daphne often took turns baby-sitting, David and Alice had grown up together.

Roz shook her head. "She's not home much anymore. It seems like all she wants to do these days is go to the mall with her friends and talk to boys."

Martin grinned. "Hm...I wonder where she could be getting that from?" He pretended to be thinking the question over.

Roz shot him a mock annoyed look. "Yeah, well, I just hope she's more popular than I was at that age."

Martin tried to look behind Roz to see if anyone was coming toward her. "Are you here by yourself?" he asked. "That doesn't sound like you."

Roz pointed toward the concession stand. "Actually, I'm here with Bulldog."

Martin tried his best not to look too shocked. "Oh, really?"

"I don't blame you for being surprised. But Bulldog's really changed a lot these last couple years. Since Frasier moved away, I don't know what I'd do without him." Suddenly, there was a commotion behind her. Both she and Martin looked to see what was going on. Bulldog was arguing loudly with the woman behind the concession counter. "Well, I never said he was perfect," Roz said when she saw the skeptical look on Martin's face.

"I'm very happy for you, Roz," Martin said, giving her a slight embrace. But the look on his face said he was more than a little concerned about Roz and Bulldog's relationship.

Martin quickly ushered David off to find their seats. "Well, here we are," he said. "And we've got a great view of the field." Once again, he tried to sound as excited as possible.

"Are you sure we should sit here?" David asked, clearly worried. "It looks kind of dirty." He pointed to a few crumbs on the seat. Martin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. David was definitely Niles' son, there was no question about it. Without saying a word, Martin carefully lowered himself into his seat.

Seeing the difficulty his grandfather was having, David asked, "Have you been doing your exercises like you're supposed to?"

"Your mother told you to ask me that, didn't she?" Martin replied, this time unable to hide his frustration. David shook his head, and Martin could tell it wasn't a lie. The one thing David had inherited from Daphne was a concern for Martin's well-being. At first, it had annoyed Martin. No one wants to be lectured to by a pre-schooler. But he came to realize that, although she no longer worked for him, Daphne would never fully let go of her role as Martin's caretaker. And if her son had picked that up from her, it was necessarily a bad thing.

Martin's thoughts were interrupted by the National Anthem being played over the stadium's loudspeakers. With a slight groan, he managed to stand and put his hand over his heart. The music reminded him how precious this moment was. Even if David didn't come to share Martin's passion for sports, at least he was able to share this experience with him. Considering how long it had taken for Niles and Daphne to finally get together, let alone have a child, it was practically a miracle Martin was even here to do this.

The song ended, and they both sat down. On the field, the players were taking their places to begin the game. David watched for a moment, then turned to Martin. "You know, Dad says that baseball's just for people who can't appreciate the beauty of a good chess match."

Martin breathed a small sigh. Couldn't David at least _try_ to enjoy the game? "What does your mother say when you say stuff like that?"

The boy shrugged. "She just says she's glad I won't be coming home with lots of injuries like Uncle Simon."

Martin chuckled. _Leave it to Daphne to see it that way_, he thought. For a few moments, the two sat in silence, watching the action on the field. David seemed to be paying attention, but he didn't get excited when the home team scored a run. Martin was beginning to think this whole idea was stupid. _It's just like when I brought Frasier and Niles here_, he thought. _I'm trying to force him to like what I like_. He could remember many times when his sons had tried to do the same to him by dragging him to the opera. And now here he was doing it to his own grandson. On the other hand, sports had been a big part of Martin's life. And it wasn't such a crime for him to want to at least expose David to them. Especially since he knew Niles wasn't going to do it anytime soon. _If he really hates doing this, I'll just let it go_, Martin thought. _There's no use forcing him. I guess I could stick to taking him to museums or something. _The thought of going to a museum with his grandson didn't exactly thrill him, but since this was the first time he had grandchild living in Seattle full-time, he wanted to make the most of it.

Once again, Martin's thoughts were interrupted. This time it was his cellphone . He thought it might be Ronee. Or else Daphne, calling to say she missed her son. But as soon as Martin looked at his caller ID, he knew it wasn't either of them. "Hey, Frase," Martin said as he took the call. "How are things in the Windy City?"

"Oh, you know, my show keeps me pretty busy. Listen, I just called the house and Ronee told me you were out with David. Where did you take him? Not McGinty's, I hope."

Martin laughed. "No. Unlike you, I wouldn't take a child to a bar." Martin knew Frasier had often taken his son, Frederick, to his favorite bar back when he lived in Boston. "Niles and Daphne wanted a night to themselves, so I offered to bring David to a Mariners' game," he explained.

"Oh, that's right," Frasier said, remembering. "Niles told me they were going to a dance at his country club. It's amazing that they still do things like that after all this time."

"I know," Martin replied. "I never thought I'd live to see the day your brother would be happily married!"

"Well, they certainly did take their time getting together," Frasier said, remembering how he'd told Niles how Daphne felt about him just in time for Niles to stop her from marrying someone else. "I guess when you come so close to missing out on something, it's hard to take it for granted." Frasier couldn't help sounding a bit envious of his brother's relationship.

"Something tells me you didn't call just to talk about your brother," Martin said. He had a feeling he knew the real reason for Frasier's call. He and his girlfriend, Charlotte, had been discussing marriage for a while now, but had yet to make any definite plans. Their work schedules made it difficult to set a date, much less plan an entire wedding.

"I should've known you wouldn't be fooled," Frasier laughed. "It's about Charlotte and me."

"Gee, I never would've guessed that," Martin said sarcastically.

Frasier laughed. A few years ago, he would never have believed he and his father would be this close. But living together had completely changed their relationship. It was something he would always be grateful for. "Dad, listen, Charlotte and I were thinking of coming out to Seattle next week. Do you think Roz and Daphne would be willing to do me a favor?"

"What kind of favor?" Martin asked with a grin, pretending he had no idea where this was going.

"Well, Charlotte says she wants to look at some wedding dresses. She doesn't have many girlfriends left in Seattle, so I told her she could borrow a couple of mine."

Martin opened his mouth to respond, but stopped when he felt a tug on his sleeve. "Grandpa, I'm hungry!" David announced.

"Uh, Frase, why don't I call you back later tonight?" Martin said into the phone. As happy as he was to hear his son's good news, he decided it was best not to ignore David. He ended the call, and returned his phone to his pants pocket.


	3. Chapter 3

Seeing that his grandfather was now off the phone, David said, "If you give me some money, I can go buy myself something to eat."

Martin gave him an "Are you kidding me?" look. "Do you have any idea what your mother would do to me if I even _thought_ about letting you do that?"

"Aw, C'mon!" David protested. "Uncle Simon lets me do stuff like this all the time."

_Yes_, Martin thought_, and what would your mother do to __him__ if she knew about that?_ He made a mental note to talk to Daphne about limiting the contact between her brother and her son. "All right, let's go," he said as he raised himself up from the seat once again.

A few minutes later, the two found themselves at the back of the concession line. In the next line over, Roz was also waiting. Martin caught her eye and motioned for her to come over. "When you get a chance, you should really give Frasier a call," he said. He tried not to look excited. He knew Frasier would want to share the news with Roz himself.

Roz would not be so easily fooled. "Is this about what I think it is?" Though she and Frasier had once thought about getting together, they realized they were better off as friends. Since then, she'd been hoping he would find someone to settle down with. She knew how badly he wanted what Niles now had.

"I can't tell you what it's about, but you should probably call him soon," Martin said.

"Oh, I hope he and Charlotte have finally set a date. When Frasier left Seattle to be with her, I never thought he'd wait five years to marry her!" Roz said. "Especially not after seeing what happened to Niles and Daphne. And now Alice is too big to be a flower girl."

Martin shrugged. "Yeah, well, Niles and I told him a thousand times to hurry up. But he wouldn't listen. I think he was afraid of making another mistake again after Lilith, and all the other women he's dated since then. That's Frasier's problem, he thinks too much. He's been that way ever since he was a kid."

"Thinking a lot is a good thing," David interjected. "Dad says when you're faced with a problem, the best thing to do is stay calm and think about all the possibilities rationally."

"Yeah, my sons haven't changed a bit," Martin said with a laugh.

"Thanks for letting me know," Roz said. "I'll call him as soon as I can. I can't wait to tell Alice! Do you think Frasier will let her be a bridesmaid or something?"

"Probably," Martin said with a smile. Frasier loved Alice as if she were his own daughter. "But remember, you can't say a word to Alice _or_ Daphne until you talk to him. If Frasier finds out I told you, he'll kill me."

"Technically, Grandpa, you didn't tell her," David pointed out. "Roz guessed."

"Somehow, I don't think that's going to make a difference to your uncle," Martin said as he moved up in the line.

"Don't worry about Frasier," Roz said. "After all these years, I think I know how to handle him. He's probably the only guy I can say that about." She laughed.

After Martin and David had returned to their seats, they watched the game for a few more minutes. Martin looked over at his grandson, and couldn't help wishing Hester had lived to see David. He was definitely happy to have Ronee in his life, especially since Frasier had left Seattle. But that didn't change the fact that he still missed Frasier and Niles' mother terribly. Sometimes it seemed to Martin that David was a living reminder of all that she'd missed out on. He was grateful he at least had all his memories of watching their two boys grow up.

David looked over at Martin. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," Martin replied. "I'm just thinking about when your dad and Uncle Frasier were kids. They were an awful lot like you, you know."

"I know," David replied. "Mom always says I'm just like Dad."

Martin smiled. He remembered how nervous Daphne had been about her child ending up like Frasier or Niles. But now, she couldn't be happier to have such a smart son. Whenever she came to visit or help Martin with his exercises, Daphne couldn't stop gushing about David's latest accomplishment. "You know, your mother's real proud of you," he said. "We all are."

"I know," David replied, not quite sure where this was coming from. It wasn't like his grandfather to talk about his feelings so openly.

Martin saw his confusion. "Well, you know, I know I'm not good at saying stuff like that like your dad and Frasier are. But I just wanted you to know that."

"Uh-huh," David replied, still slightly uncomfortable. "Are you going to finish your French fries?"

Martin handed him the remainder of the fries. He felt the need to keep making conversation, though he could sense it wasn't going so well. "I never really got the chance to do anything like this with your cousin Freddy," he said, pointing to the field. "Of course, he was living in Boston with Lilith most of the time, so..."

David nodded. He had only seen Frederick a couple of times when he visited Seattle. But Frasier had made sure David was well aware of all of Fredrick's accomplishments. It was clear that Niles was not the only Crane to be proud of his son.

Martin thought about the times Freddy had visited his father in Seattle when he was growing up. Frasier had been desperate to bond with his son, but it never seemed to happen. Especially once Freddy got into his teen years, it seemed he wanted to have nothing to do with his father. But Martin knew David's experience would be very different. There was no way he would ever end up living like that. Niles and Daphne's marriage was beyond solid. Martin could only hope that would allow Niles to avoid some of the struggles Frasier went through with Freddy.

Martin glanced over at his grandson, who seemed to be watching the action on-field. He couldn't help smiling; maybe all his worrying was for nothing. He knew David would learn to like sports if he gave them a chance. Just then, the visiting team scored, and David let out a groan. "Don't worry," Martin said. "The Mariners can still win. The game's not over yet."

"Uh...I don't feel so good," David said, looking like he might throw up.

"Oh, geeze, the Crane genes strike again," Martin said. He couldn't help remembering the times Niles would become nauseous or have an allergic reaction over almost nothing. "Come on," he said getting up. "We better call Ronee to pick us up."

"What about Roz?" David asked. "Couldn't she give us a ride home?" It seemed like a better idea than waiting until Ronee could get to the stadium to bring them home.

"Nah," Martin said. "No reason she should have to miss the game." Besides, he decided he would rather not run into Bulldog again if he could help it.


	4. Chapter 4

Half an hour later, David and Martin were both home, safe and sound. David laid down on the couch to watch TV until he felt better. Martin pulled his wife aside and asked, "Do you think we should call Daphne?" He knew she would rush right over if she knew her son was sick.

"Kids get sick like this all the time," Ronee said. "And besides, it's not like this is the first time I've ever taken care of a sick child. If you'll recall, I used to baby-sit Niles when _he_ was wasn't feeling well."

Martin grinned. "Yeah. I bet you never thought back then you'd be a grandmother to his child," he teased. Being referred to as a grandmother was still a sore point for Ronee.

"Listen, smart aleck," Ronee shot back. "Do you want me to help you take care of the kid or not? Because I could call Daphne right now and tell her _you_ made her son sick."

"OK, OK," Martin replied, knowing his wife meant business.

"Besides, you must have some experience with sick kids, too," Ronee reminded him. "Weren't you ever around when Niles and Frasier had the flu or something?"

"Nah," Martin replied. "I usually let Hester handle all of that. I was too busy getting criminals off the streets."

"Oh, yeah," Ronee said, looking down at his hip. "I see you were good at it."

David fell asleep on the couch. He woke up about an hour later, asking, "Where's my mom?"

The last thing Martin wanted to do was call Daphne and tell her what had happened. Not only would it ruin Niles and Daphne's perfect evening, but it would also mean a stern lecture from Daphne. Martin had gotten enough of those when she was merely his healthcare worker to know he wanted to avoid another one. "Your mom is busy. She's going out with your dad tonight, remember?" Martin said.

"I know. But I don't feel well, and I want to go home," David whined.

Martin was torn. He definitely didn't want to call Daphne, but he also knew David was sick and wanted his mother. He remembered Niles being the exact same way on the rare occasion that he was home when the boys were sick. He told David to wait a moment, and went into the kitchen to see Ronee. "He wants Daphne," Martin said upon entering.

"So, call her," Ronee said, handing him the phone. "I know you don't want to do it, but she _is_ his mother. And I wouldn't mind having the house to ourselves." She gave him a knowing wink.

"She's going to kill me, I know she is," Martin said. "She's going to think this is all my fault."

"Gee, why would she think that? Just because _you_ insisted on taking him to that silly ballgame?" Ronee teased. "What do you honestly think she's going to do? Beat you with your cane?" She laughed.

"I know you're right," Martin conceded. "But this is their first night alone in I don't know how long. I remember after Frasier was born, Hester and I never had a moment's peace. I still don't know how we managed to have Niles."

"Well, she was a scientist, wasn't she?" Ronee asked. "Maybe Niles was a lab experiment."

Martin laughed. "That would explain an awful lot," he said. Then he looked down at the phone in his hands and tried to work up the nerve to dial his son's apartment at the Montana.

"You used to be a cop, Marty. You faced down armed robbers without a second thought," Ronee said.

"Yeah, and look where that got me," Martin replied, gesturing toward his cane.

"OK, so you're not as young as you used to be. But I still can't believe you're so scared of your own daughter-in-law."

"Daphne may seem sweet," he said. "But she can be pretty tough when she wants to be. She was once arrested for dumping an entire load of laundry off the balcony of Frasier's apartment! It caused a huge car accident!"

"Then think about this," Ronee said. "What if David goes home tomorrow and tells Daphne that he wanted her here and you refused to call her? How would she take _that_?"

As much as Martin hated to admit it, he knew his wife had a point. He sighed as he finally looked down at the keypad and prepared to dial. But before he had pressed a single button, the phone rang. Martin looked at the caller ID, and immediately saw the call was coming from the Montana. He just stared at the phone, hoping it would stop ringing.

Ronee let out an exasperated sigh. She took the phone from Martin's hand and answered it. "Hello?" After a pause she said, "Hold on." She held the phone out to Martin. "It's Daphne."

Martin mouthed, "Tell her I'm not here," but Ronee shook her head. "Just talk to her," she whispered. "She can't kill you over the phone!"

Martin sighed and took the phone. "Hi, Daph!" he said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. "How's your date with Niles going?"

"Well, it was going fine," Daphne said. "But then me powers kicked in, and I suddenly got a bad feeling about David. I couldn't get it out of me mind. So I figured I'd call and check on him so I can finally relax. I think I actually started to make Niles a bit nervous, too," she laughed. "But I'm just being silly, aren't I? I mean, it's not as if you and Ronee have never watched him before. I'm sure by now you've turned him into a die-hard Mariners fan, right?"

Martin hesitated. Of all the times for Daphne to have one of her visions. "Well...not exactly," he said nervously. "It seems he takes after his father." _A lot_, Martin thought to himself as he pictured his grandson lying on the couch in the next room.

"That's too bad," Daphne replied, knowing how disappointed Martin must be. "But can I talk to him?"

"No...now's not such a good time," Martin said. "He's...sort of..." He searched for a way to tell Daphne that wouldn't upset her.

Daphne knew Martin well enough to recognize the hesitation in his voice that meant he was hiding something. "What happened?" she asked, a bit of panic in her voice.

Martin saw that she wouldn't accept anything other than a direct answer, so he took a deep breath and said, "We had to leave the game early. David said he wasn't feeling well."

"What?" Daphne said in alarm. "When exactly were you going to tell me this?"

"Well, Ronee and I knew you and Niles really wanted a night to yourselves, so we thought we'd just take care of him here," he explained.

"Thank goodness for me powers!" Daphne exclaimed. "I knew it wasn't such a good idea letting you take him to that bloody baseball game. Does he want me to come over there? Because Niles and I can get there in five minutes, and -"

Martin could tell Daphne was getting angry. "Now, Daph, calm down. If it was anything serious, you know I would've called you." This was exactly the scenario he'd been hoping to avoid by not calling her. "Ronee and I have everything under control. He's asleep right now, and I bet when he wakes up, he'll be fine again. I saw this same thing with Niles lots of times. Kids are sick one minute and fine the next. No big deal."

"It's a bloody big deal when it's your child!" Daphne countered.

"Look, he's already here, so you might as well let him stay the night. I promise you, I'll call if he gets worse," Martin said. He knew how worried she was about her son, but it seemed unnecessary for her to come rushing over for something that was most likely nothing at all.

Daphne sighed. Martin was nothing if not stubborn. She'd learned that firsthand years ago, when he would fight with her every day over doing his exercises. Right now, she just didn't have the energy to argue with him. Not when she and Niles were finally alone for the first time in months. "I suppose you've got a point," she reluctantly admitted. "But I'm picking him up first thing tomorrow morning, whether you like it or not!"

"It's a deal," Martin said, relieved that he'd prevented Daphne from having a nervous breakdown. "By the way, have you guys talked to Frasier recently?"

"There was a message on the machine when we got home asking us to call him as soon as possible. But Niles and I have been a bit...busy, so we thought we'd call him in the morning. Why? Is something wrong?" Daphne thought she'd heard a bit of excitement in Martin's voice when he asked the question, but she wasn't quite sure what was going on.

"No, nothing's wrong," Martin replied, grinning. "But you really should call him. If you don't, I think poor Roz may have a stroke."

The mention of Roz gave Daphne an idea what this could be about. "Oh. I see," she said. "I'll have to let Niles know."

"Yeah, you do that," Martin said. After a slightly awkward pause, Daphne apologized for getting so angry with him. In turn, he apologized for not calling her right away. The phone call quickly ended, and Martin breathed a sigh of relief at the thought that he didn't have to worry about facing Daphne's anger anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

Over at the Montana, Daphne also breathed a sigh of relief. So her vision had been right, after all. She knew Martin hadn't meant any harm by not calling her right away. Besides her and Niles, no one loved David more than Martin. She was certain of that. Of course, she wanted to be near her son when he was ill, but she trusted Martin and Ronee to take care of him for the night.

"So, what did Dad say?" Niles asked when he saw his wife was finally off the phone.

"Well, it seems me vision was right. They had to leave the game early. David wasn't feeling well."

"Oh," Niles said. He hoped this wouldn't spoil their night. He could hardly believe he and Daphne were finally enjoying a night to themselves. He adored being a father, but he missed having moments like this with Daphne. It reminded him of when they were first married.

Daphne could see that Niles was thinking their night was about to be interrupted. "Well, there's good news, too," she said with a knowing smile. "Your father said he and Ronee would take care of him for the night."

Niles put his arms around her. "Remind me to thank him for that," he said as he kissed her.

Daphne smiled. "I'm sure he won't let us forget." After a moment, she added, "I think we should call your brother now."

Niles looked at her, thoroughly confused. "Now? I thought we agreed it could wait till morning."

"I know we did. But your father said it was important. And I have a feeling I know what it's about." She couldn't help smiling.

Niles still had no idea what his wife was talking about. What news could Frasier possibly have that couldn't wait till morning? Unless... "Do you think it's about him and Charlotte?"

Daphne just kept smiling. "Why don't we call him and find out?"

The two raced to the phone to call Frasier. They turned on the speakerphone so they could both talk to him at the same time. As they heard the phone ring, Daphne tried her best to contain her excitement. But no matter how many deep breaths she took, she couldn't keep the smile off her face. She just _knew_ this announcement had something to do with Frasier and Charlotte's unexpectedly long engagement.

Niles loved seeing his wife so excited. He knew that she cared about his family as if they were her own. It was one of the reasons he'd fallen so hard for her in the first place. He could not imagine sharing a moment like this with anyone else. And now it seemed, at long last, Frasier had finally found someone who made him feel the same way.

After what seemed to Niles and Daphne to be a very long few minutes, Frasier finally answered the phone. "Hi, guys. I didn't think you'd be calling me until tomorrow," he said with a knowing laugh.

"Well, we decided we wanted to hear your news now instead of waiting until tomorrow," Daphne replied, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Did Dad tell you what this was about?" Frasier asked. He could tell from his sister-in-law's tone that something was up.

"No," Niles said. "But you know Daphne and her sixth sense."

Frasier laughed. He was well acquainted with Daphne's ability to predict things, although her accuracy sometimes left something to be desired. "Actually, Daphne, I was hoping I could ask you something," he said.

"I'm listening," Daphne couldn't help replying.

Frasier chuckled at her use of his catchphrase from his KACL days. He was now doing basically the same kind of work at a Chicago station that he'd done in Seattle. A couple of times a week, he made time to see patients on the side as well. But of course, these days, his focus was more on Charlotte than his work. "I was hoping you could do me a favor sometime next week," Frasier explained. "Charlotte and I are coming out for a visit, and she needs a little help with something. It's kind of a girl thing."

Niles and Daphne could tell that Frasier was leading up to something. By now they were familiar with his habit of making things more dramatic than they needed to be. As much as they were both dying to know if their suspicions were correct, they knew they had to play along. "Well, I don't know if I'll be able to help," Daphne said innocently. "What with taking care of David, not to mention looking after your father, I'm quite busy these days."

"Oh, it would only take an afternoon or so. You could spare that, couldn't you?" Frasier asked. "And I bet Roz could lend a hand, too."

_Would you just bloody well tell us already?_ Daphne thought. She loved Frasier dearly, but this waiting was killing her. But she figured even Frasier couldn't keep this charade going for much longer. "I suppose I could arrange that. If it was something important," she hinted.

"Well, that depends. How would you feel about helping your future sister-in-law pick out a wedding dress? Would that be worth rearranging your schedule?" Frasier asked. He knew he had kept them in suspense long enough.

"Oh, I just knew it!" Daphne said, glad to finally be able to show her excitement. "I'm so happy for you two!"

"Yes, Frasier, congratulations." Niles said. "You know, five years is a long time to take before deciding whether or not to marry someone!" he teased.

Frasier laughed.. "I don't think a man who waited seven years just to tell a woman he loved her should really be talking."

"True," Niles replied. "I guess this is another argument you and I will never settle."

"Oh, you two," Daphne said, pretending to be annoyed. "Will you ever outgrow this adolescent bickering?"

"Probably not," Niles replied. "But you knew that when you married me." He grinned at her.

Daphne smiled back. "I think I might have had a clue."

Even through the phone, and several thousands of miles away, Frasier could tell how thrilled Niles and Daphne were at his news. He remembered how he had felt when they announced they were finally tying the knot. He knew that he probably would not even be contemplating a third marriage right now if he hadn't seen how well things had worked out for Niles in _his_ third marriage. After so many years of Niles attempting to live up to Frasier's example, it seemed the tables had finally turned.


	6. Chapter 6

Back at Martin and Ronee's, David was now awake and feeling much better. It seemed he had entirely forgotten about wanting to go home. Martin didn't bring the subject up, but he was secretly pleased that his instincts had been more accurate than Daphne's so-called psychic abilities. He knew he hadn't exactly been a model father when Frasier and Niles were growing up, but at least he had another chance to do things right with David.

The two sat in the living room, watching TV. It was difficult for them to find something they would both enjoy, especially since David shared so many of Niles' tastes. As Martin channel-surfed, he came across an opera on one of the public television stations. Naturally, David got excited at that, but Martin just shook his head. "Nope. I sat through enough of those with your father." He loved his grandson, but he had to draw a line somewhere. A few stations later, he happened upon _Antiques Roadshow_. "Hey!" Martin said, pleased to have finally found something worth watching. To his surprise, he looked over and saw David also perking up. _I should've known_, Martin thought, remembering how much Niles loved the show. In fact, it was probably the one show all three of the Crane men were able to agree about.

When David saw Martin put the remote down, he asked, "How come you're not changing the channel?"

"Are you kidding?" Martin asked. "I love this show!" The look on David's face was one of complete disbelief. He had never known his grandfather to watch anything other than ESPN or the occasional action movie. While David's shock slowly wore off, Martin turned his attention to the TV. The appraisers were looking over an antique cabinet that a woman had brought in. As the appraiser examined it, he noted that the doors had a wooden veneer on them. At the mention of the word "veneer," Martin shouted "Veneer," and immediately took a swig of his beer.

"What are you doing?" David asked, clearly concerned about Martin's sanity.

"It's a drinking game," Martin explained. "Your dad and Uncle Frasier and I used to do it all the time when we watched this show together."

"You watched _Antiques Roadshow_?" David asked. "Together?"

"Well, yeah," Martin said. "Don't tell me your dad never told you about that. I like watching people's reactions when they find out how much their stuff is worth. And of course your dad and Frasier like it 'cause they're into all that artsy antique stuff." As much time as Niles and David spent together, Martin was shocked that David hadn't heard any of this.

"No. I definitely would've remembered that," David said. _How come Dad's never mentioned this, _David wondered. He had a feeling there was a lot about his parents that no one had told him. "How come you and Dad don't watch it together anymore?"

Martin shrugged. "I don't know. I guess after your mom and dad got together, the three of us didn't really hang out all that much. And your uncle Frasier was busy a lot of the time, too." It was something Martin hadn't really given much thought to until now.

"Oh," David said. He still found it hard to picture his father, grandfather and Uncle Frasier spending time together like this.

Martin saw his grandson was a bit skeptical of the whole story. "We were even on this show once, you know," he said.

"Really?" David asked. Now he was certain his grandfather had made this whole story up just to impress him. There was no other explanation.

"Yeah! I found this old clock buried under a bunch of junk. Your uncle Frasier thought I was insane to have it appraised, until he found out it used to belong to the Russian royal family. That sure changed his tune!" Martin laughed as he remembered his sons' reaction.

Just then, Ronee came into the living room. "Marty -" she began.

David interrupted Ronee before she could finish. "Was my dad really on _Antiques Roadshow_ with Grandpa and Uncle Frasier?"

Ronee shrugged. "How should I know? I only married into this family around the time you were born. Or, technically, just _after_ you were born." Ronee knew she'd never forget Frasier marrying her and Martin at the vet's office, just after Daphne had given birth. She looked over at Martin, and knew he also vividly recalled their wedding day.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Martin asked. "When your dad comes to pick you up, ask him. I'm not making this up. I swear."

"OK. If you say so." David said, still clearly unconvinced. With that he went off to Martin and Ronee's guest room to play with some of the toys Martin kept there for him.

As soon as David was out of the room, Ronee turned to her husband. "So, were you really telling the truth there, or what?"

Martin laughed. "Of course I was."

But Ronee was still unsure. "So where's this clock now?"

"The boys sold it for me," Martin replied. "That's how I got the Winnebago."

Ronee thought for a moment. That part at least rang true. She remembered hearing the story of how Niles and Daphne had escaped from Daphne's wedding in Martin's Winnebago. But no one had ever told her how he'd gotten it in the first place. Maybe if that part was true, the rest of it was. And Martin definitely wasn't the type to make something like that up just to impress someone, not even his own grandson. "I guess that makes sense then," she said, leaving the room.

Now that Martin was alone, he thought it would be a good time to call Frasier back. When his son had picked up the phone, Martin said, "Sorry I had to cut you off earlier. David wanted something to eat, and I figured if I ignored him, he'd get himself into trouble."

Frasier laughed. "No problem. I guess, being part Moon, he's probably more of a handful than Niles and I ever were."

"Nah," Martin said. "He's not that bad. But I don't think he's going to be the sports fan I was hoping for. Oh well."

"Wow, Dad, I'm impressed," Frasier said. He was genuinely surprised that Martin would so easily accept that his grandson didn't seem to share his love of sports.

"I wish he'd gotten into baseball. But there's nothing I can do about it. Besides, maybe my next grandchild will be different. Right, Frase?"

"Maybe, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, OK?" Frasier said, picking up on his father's hint about future grandchildren. "I just hope I'm doing the right thing with Charlotte. I mean, I think I am, but who knows?"

"The only way to know if something's a good idea is to try it. I know you don't like to hear it, but there are some decisions you just can't make by thinking. You probably had a few doubts about letting your old man move in with you, and look how that turned out," Martin said.

Frasier couldn't help smiling. "That's true. And at least I know Charlotte doesn't come with an ugly green recliner."

"Oh, shut up," Martin laughed. "I hope Charlotte knows what she's getting into by marrying you."

"I have a feeling she does," Frasier replied. "And, amazingly enough, she still wants to." He couldn't help laughing. In spite of his doubts, he was anxious to start his new life with Charlotte.

"Well, I'm happy for you, son," Martin said. "Getting married again is a scary thing, but it can be worth it."

"I know that, Dad. You and Niles are both perfect examples."

"Don't get all sentimental on me now," Martin said. "Let's save that stuff for the wedding, OK?" He could hardly believe he was going to be attending Frasier's third wedding. It was even more incredible that Frasier had finally managed to pick a woman that the entire extended Crane family actually liked!


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:**Thanks for all the great reviews. Here's the final chapter. Enjoy! :)

True to Daphne's word, she and Niles arrived early the next morning to retrieve their son. Martin could tell as soon as he opened the door that they both had enjoyed their night to themselves, but they were now anxious to return to parenthood. Seeing the looks on their faces, he couldn't resist asking, "So, did you two have a nice time last night?"

"We did," Daphne said with a knowing smile. "We can't thank you enough for baby-sitting."

Martin shrugged. "That's what grandparents are for."

"So where is he?" Niles asked. Before Martin could answer the question, David came running in at top speed and hugged both his parents as if they'd been gone for months.

"Did you have fun?" Daphne asked.

David nodded. "Know what Grandpa and I watched on TV?" When neither of his parents answered, he added, "_Antiques Roadshow_! Grandpa said he used to watch it with you and Uncle Frasier."

Niles nodded, remembering. "That was a long time ago." He did not like thinking back to the days when Daphne had been engaged to another man.

"Really?" David replied, still not quite able to imagine it.

Daphne couldn't help smiling. "Don't worry, I saw it with me own eyes, and I still have a hard time believing it."

David laughed and hugged Daphne again. After they separated, Daphne asked, "Is your grandmother around?"

Just then, Ronee walked in. "Marty, remind me to get my hearing checked. Because I could swear I just heard somebody refer to me as a grandmother."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "I would've thought by now you'd get used to the fact that marrying Martin makes you a grandmother."

Ronee shook her head. "When I start _looking_ like a grandmother, I'll accept the title. Until then, it's strictly Ronee."

"Well, then, _Ronee_," Daphne said, "Thanks for watching David for us last night. We really do appreciate it." She felt she should thank Ronee too, since taking care of David was always more fun for Martin than it was for her.

"He was no trouble," Ronee replied. "Besides, I've got plenty of experience baby-sitting the Crane boys. Right, Niles?"

Niles laughed nervously, remembering how she used to scare him as a child. "Yes. I just hope you didn't traumatize my son like you did me."

"Give me a little credit, Niles. I'm an adult now," Ronee said. "Besides, your father spent more time with David than I did last night. So if he's traumatized, blame him." She pointed to where Martin stood.

"Thanks a lot," Martin teased. "Now they'll never bring David back."

Daphne laughed. "No chance of that. It looks like I'm going to be even busier, now that I've got to help plan a wedding." She couldn't help smiling at the thought of Frasier finally settling down. "I promised Frasier I'd make sure he doesn't go too overboard with all the planning. I'm glad to do it, but I know I've got me work cut out for me."

Martin nodding, knowing Daphne was thinking back to the days when Frasier had gone overboard trying to plan her wedding. "Maybe he won't be that bad. I think he's grown up a lot since then."

"I hope you're right," Daphne replied. Turning to David, she added, "Well, we'd better be running along. Say good-bye to Grandpa and _Ronee_ now." She gave a knowing glance in Ronee's direction.

"Bye," David said, going over and hugging them both.

A few minutes later, the three of them were in the car, headed back to the Montana. Without warning, David piped up from the back seat, "What did Grandpa mean when he said Uncle Frasier's grown up since then?"

Niles and Daphne exchanged a look in the front seat. They had both been hoping that David hadn't been paying attention to that part of the conversation. But since he had inherited most of the Crane genes, he didn't often miss things like that. Still, neither of them felt ready to re-live the story of their prolonged courtship with him now.

Daphne chose her words carefully, hoping to answer his question without going into too much detail. "Your Uncle Frasier once tried to help plan a friend's wedding. He meant well, but he drove the poor bride crazy."

"Oh," David said, seemingly satisfied by the answer. Just when Daphne was breathing a sigh of relief, he added, "Whose wedding was it?"

Niles looked over at Daphne and saw that she was at a loss for words. He decided to try to help. "Hey, you know what we should do when we get home?" He tried to sound excited, hoping it would distract David from his questions.

"What?" David replied, still wondering why his question hadn't been answered.

"We can watch that new opera DVD Uncle Frasier just got you," Niles said. Now that Frasier was finally an uncle, he seemed to think it was his job to spoil David, and, of course, encourage his love for opera.

When they arrived home, Niles watched his son race toward the cabinet where the family's movies were stored. Once again, Niles was amazed at how much more coordinated his son was than either he or Frasier ever were. _That should save him some humiliation during gym class_, he thought, remembering his own school days. David immediately began going through the DVD's Niles had carefully arranged in alphabetical order. "Remember to keep them all in their places," Niles said.

"I know, Dad," David said, a bit impatiently.

"Oh, Niles, lighten up," Daphne said as she walked over to him. "The world won't come to an end if all those movies aren't in precise order."

"Yes, but having them all organized like this saves us time when we decide to watch something," Niles replied.

Daphne was just about to say something when David walked over, carrying a VHS tape. "What's this?" he asked.

Niles took the tape from his son and saw the label on it. "_Antiques Roadshow_ – Nov 11, 1999." "That's when Frasier and I were on TV with Grandpa," Niles said.

"Wow!" David said, clearly amazed. "Can we watch it now?"

Niles didn't really want to think back on those days right now. "But what about the DVD you just got from Uncle Frasier?" he said.

Daphne saw how uncomfortable Niles was, and couldn't resist teasing him a bit. "Oh, he can watch that any time. But how often does he get to see his old man on TV?"

David ran to the VCR and put the tape in. He then sat on the floor, mesmerized. Niles, meanwhile, couldn't seem to stop staring at the carpet instead of the TV. Seeing this, Daphne whispered, "What's wrong?"

Niles sighed. "I just don't like thinking back on those days. You know, when you were with -" He looked at her, and knew she didn't need him to finish the sentence.

Daphne smiled. "I know. But that's all over now." She wished Niles could learn to stop beating himself up over all the what-ifs in their relationship.

Niles kissed her. "I know that, my love. But I just keep remembering how close I came to missing my chance with you."

She squeezed his hand. "But you _didn't_ miss your chance. And look what we ended up with." She gestured toward their son, who apparently was too engrossed in watching the tape to even be aware of the conversation going on right behind him.

Niles looked at his son and felt a familiar sense of pride. Maybe he and Daphne had taken the long way to get there, but they'd ended up exactly where they belonged.


End file.
